A Case Against Circle Hooks for Flatheads?

Exhibit A

This was not because we caught a monster or were putting flatheads in the boat left and right. This was from 1 17# fish.

The reason I scraped my hand up was that even though I was using a large circle, the hook was deep in its mouth. Thankfully not in it’s gullet and not in its gills. I was to the right of the tongue about 1/4 away from the 3rd or fourth set of gills.

Had I been using a J hook, it would have been a lot easier to get out. It took a while to torque it enough because of how the tip of the circle bends back toward the shank.

Hmm, now that I think about it, this is actually a case for cutting off, or at least shaving back the barb. The barb runs parallel with the shank, just like a J.

I guess this is the first circle hook caught flathead where the hook was not in the corner of the mouth or the lips. Thinking back, maybe it should not have been torquing it at all and just trying to push it straight back.

I guess this is where you guys come in. What do you think circles versus J hooks? I know we’ve discussed it before, but why not rehash it.

Circle hook…the instances of a foul hookup like that I would believe to be rare.

Hand model?

Joel

Oh yes! Did you notice the nice gnarly middle finger knuckle there? There isn’t a wall in the world I didn’t think I could punch through when I was young.

I gave up on circles some time ago. I started using them thinking it would be better for the fish. I don’t believe that’s the case… for Flatheads.

Between the gap of the hook being filled with bullhead or sucker leaving less of a point being exposed and the difficulty in getting a circle out when it’s IN the maw, I’ve switched back to J’s.

There are times when cutting the line and just pushing the j through works better than trying to back out the hook. That might have worked for you with your circle Pug.

I’m still looking for a bolt cutter that would cut a 10/0 easily that doesn’t cost $70. Missed one last year on a website by minutes. Snipping off the barb end or even the line end of a hook will pretty much eliminate leaving the hooks in mouths.

In my humble opinion.

Looks like you catch over 200 flatheads per year there Pug!

J-hooks all the way. I have samples upon samples of circle hooks sitting in a big box in the basement. They will stay there and only be used when the world goes to h e double hockey sticks and I have used up all my j hooks.

I think pushing it through would have possibly made it worse, as it may have been just as much work. I don’t think the tip on the hook had gone in and back out. Or if it had, the tip was hidden from view. That would have meant torquing it in the opposite direction and hoping not to hit any thing boney.

One thing is for sure, I will probably think it through a little better and be in less of a panic. But when I saw the hook, I was very concerned I had gotten a gill.

You were the Doctor in charge Pug. I’m just trying to second guess you from my arm chair.

I will say there is nothing better than a circle for channels and sturgeon. It’s like the circle was made for sturgeon.

all the new guys in my boat get rigged with circle hooks and a tight lined bullhead until they get the hang of it. Love them for that and channels. Otherwise Sickle hooks and Gammi Octo’s for flatties.

Never had a foul hooked fish with a circle hook. I’d say your case is quite rare.

I wouldn’t call it foul hooked (I hope I didn’t above at some point). I wasn’t pulling up an esophagus, no gills damaged, no eyes poked out and it was in the mouth. However the location made it a pain in the rear to get the hook out.

finnally you got some flathead rash pug!

i dont use circle for much other than sturgeon and channels.

try downsizing to 7/0 if your using 6 to 8 inch bullies or any time your using anything other than bullie like a sucker you will be suprised at how well they work.

if you use circles try hooking the bullies through the lower jaw with the hook pointing down. this also seems to work well.

All I use for catfish is circle hooks. I’ve never had an problems with flatheads or channel cats. Just about every time they are hooked right in the corner of the mouth. I’ve heard all the discussions against circle hooks for flatheads but I just have never had any problems at all. This year I am experimenting with using a Bridle Rig set up on 8/0 circle hook. I’ll let you know how that works out.

I canned the circles for flats as I thought or believe from my short sampling that my hook-up percentage was greatly diminished versus J’s. The one’s I did bang with Circles were always in the corner of the mouth though..

On the heavily fished river I fish mostly, flats definitely will frequently drop baits or even sit there with them without really swimming off. At least not aggresivly enough to bury a cirlce hook (I think you all see where this is going)…

With a good frequency of light pick-ups, I think the chances are better using the traditional or wide-gap hooks than circles in this situation. Some do vell using the circles for flats, but I haven’t had enough success with them for flats to employ them on a consistent basis.

Actually, I don’t use them that much for channel cats either though. Maybe the fact that I just like setting the hook is a part of the equation too.

I’ve been hooking the bullheads through the lips, which is the only way to go with circles. But once the flow slows and I’ll start hooking them in the back again, I’ll be switching to the Js for sure. I’ll probably use Js next time out.

Dont forget to buy extras for me. I still havnt cought up on the circles!

Quote:

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Dont forget to buy extras for me. I still havnt cought up on the circles!

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I told you to stay out of here. I hope you at least listen to me when I say don’t take candy from BrianK.

crazyfast999 is my new best friend.

Crazyfast gut hooked one last night on a circle. You know, actually pulled the gut up. I thought I was going to have flathead for dinner finally.

He got it out and the esophagus did the old disappearing act, like a turtle that just saw BK.

Hopefully she is ok, because there wasn’t any blood, but who knows if there was anything internal.